Soap-holder for washboards.



PATENTED NOV.n 27, 1906.

l A. H. BRUCE.

SOAP HOLDER POR WASHBOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.10,1906- Y attain,

Elias n UNTED STATES PATENT hllEt ALEXANDER BRUCE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRCT OF COLUMBIA.

SOAP-HOLDER FOR WASHBOARDS.

' Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nev. 27, 190e.

Application tiled March 10, 1905. Serial No. 305,375.

To all whom/ it may concern:

Be it known that l, ALEXANDER H. BRUCE, a citizen of the United States, 'residing at Washington in the District of Columbia,

.have'invented certain new and useful lmw holdei' being carried by the board and form` ing a part thereof and so constructed as to expose a cake ofsoa to the action of the water carried bythe c othes over the iront or working face of the washboard, whereby the soa is su plied in the roper quantity to the clot ring fiiung the ru bing operation.

A further objectof the invention is to provide means whereby the various parts of the soapholder are accessible, so that the soap may be readily removed. and replaced or renewed, as found necessary, the soap-holder embodying means for advancing the soapvfas it is wornlaway in the washing operation until the last remnant of the cake is completely used up.'

With the above and other objects in view the. invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described,illustrated,

and claimed.

the latch and its sup ort.

,ln the accompanying drawings, Fieure 11 is a iront elevation of a washboard embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarge vertical transverse section through the upper part of the washboard, showing the soapholder, the construction thereof, and the relation thereof to vthe washboard proper. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the soa holder, showing also a ortion of the washboard. Fig. 4 is a det-a1 perspective view of perspective view of t e latchfkeeper.

In the drawinvs I have illustrated a familiar form of washboard, comprising the trame 1, the corrugated rubbin -surface 2, and the head part 3, which is ordinarily offset rearwardly to provide a pocket for containing thel soap.

Under the improvement contemplated herein the upper ortion of the frame of the washboard .may e flush with the rubbingsurface 2 thereof, if so desired., and such head portion is provided with an aperture 4 in which is arranged a cup 5, the forward. ace

Fig. 5 is a detail of which is perforated, as shown at to al-` low thesoap-suds to pass therethrough and downward over the working face oi' the wash` board. The cup 5 may( be of any suitable depth from iront Ato rear and is provided with an attaching-ilanqe 7, by means of which the cup and the soa holder as a whole is secured to the back of t e washboard, it being understood that the perforated face 6 of' the cu is located about flush with the correspon ing 'lace of the washboard.

Within the cup 5 is arranged a sliding soapholder comprising a back 8 and a flange 9, which flange is shaped to correspond to lthe interior shape and size oi the cup 5, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, The back S is ex tended to forni a projecting flange 10, and to the inner surface of said 'flange is applied a' gasket 11, adapted to rest in contact with the rear edge of the cup 9, so as to form a tight joint and rcvent leakage. The forward end of the holder is left open and the front portion of'such holder is occupied by a cake of soap, as indicated at 12, behind which is arranged a `follower 13, which consists of a plate forming a seat for one end of a soap-advancing spring 14, the o posite end of which bears against the baer S of the holder. The length of the spring is such that it will cause the follower 13 to traverse the soapfholder until it reaches and bears against the perforated faceplate 6, so as to subject every particle of the soap to the action of the water. I

The soa -holder 8 is held in place within the cup 5 y means of a latch 15, votally connected at 16 to a support 17 s iown in the form of a screw-eye, which is screwed into the back of the washboard. The free end of the latch is deflected or curved, as'

`keeper being such that the later extends across the back S of the soap-holder and holds the same with the gasket 11 pressed IOC iirnily against the cup 5 to revent leakage.

To place the soap in the older, it is only necessary to disengage'the latch 15 from the keeper 20 and withdraw the box or holder 8. A cake ol soap of the pro er size is then placed within the holder an in front of the ollower 13 and the holder returned to its place within the cup 5 and secured by means of the latch 15. As the wet clothes are roi rubbed over the surface of the Washboerd Water inds access to theexposed surface of the cake of soap and dissolves the letter7 which passes outward through-the perfora- -tionsV in the face-plate 6 andcombines with the clothes being Washed.

1. lThe combination With a Washboerd provided with an a ertureJ of a langed cup secured to the bac of the Washboard and provided with a erforated face Whichlies substantiallyus rWiththeworkin surfaceof the Washboard, a fian ed soap-holder removably tted into the bac of saldlcup and carrying a gasket Whichts against -the rear edge of 1 thev cup and forms a liquid-tight-joint, a ysprin -pressed soap-follower mounted Within said holder in place withnlthe' cup.

2. The combinatonwith 'awashboard having an aperture therein, of alanged-`cupse l older, and a latch for fastening said 1 cured to the back. ofthe washbo'ard and pro# a su port projecting backwfmrd4 from' thev Wash card, said latch being,l arranged to exy tend across the 'back of the soap-holder and jj fasten the latter in place Within the cup, and

a keeper 'for said latch connected to andpro-V jecting backward from the Washbo'ardz Vsubstantially vas described.

, in testimony whereof I aix nyhsignature' l 'in presence of two Witnesses.

ALEXANDER H. BRUCE.

Witnesses: Y

K. ALLEN, E. FAGUE. 

